The present disclosure relates to an image forming system and an image forming apparatus including a developing device that develops electrostatic latent images into toner images.
One example of an image forming apparatus forms an electrostatic latent image on the surface of an image bearing member, develops the electrostatic latent image into a toner image, and transfers the toner image onto paper. An image forming apparatus such as described above includes a developing device. The developing device contains toner and charges the toner by, for example, stirring the toner. The developing device supplies the toner to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the image bearing member, and thereby develops the electrostatic latent image into the toner image.
In the above configuration, toner has a greater tendency to deteriorate (for example, become excessively charged) in a situation in which the amount of toner supplied to the image bearing member from the developing device (referred to below as a toner supply amount) is small—that is, the amount of toner in the developing device that is consumed (referred to below as a toner consumption amount) is small. As a result, a greater proportion of the toner contained in the developing device is in a deteriorated state.
In consideration of the above, an image forming apparatus has been proposed that performs enforced discharge of toner in a developing device onto the surface of an image bearing member and that disposes of the toner subjected to the enforced discharge. The aforementioned image forming apparatus performs the enforced toner discharge onto a non-image region of a photosensitive drum that acts as the image bearing member. The discharged toner is removed from the non-image region of the photosensitive drum by a cleaning blade.